The Ending We Were Deprived Gale
by CookieMonsterWillRuleTheWorld
Summary: Just a quick re-write of what I thought the ending could have been like.
1. Chapter 1

**The Ending We Were Deprived.**

My head rested in my hands as I sat limply on the train back to district twelve.

Was all that happened for the better? I guess.

Did it feel like it? No.

Maybe for other people it would be better, but I had lost so many people in this crusade of righteousness. And my family, already torn apart by the Capital by indirectly causing the death of my father, and then they then proceeded to cause me to lose my mother, Gale, Prim, and almost Peeta.

If it wasn't for Peeta and Haymitch holding tightly on to the fine line of fishing wire attached to my helium filled sanity, I could say with certainty that I would not be here right now.

Though my family had been wrenched apart and my actions had caused me pain, horror and torture, perhaps other families of the future can be saved from the all-consuming utter destruction I had experienced.

"We're home," murmured Haymitch and I felt the carriage slow down as it pulled in to let us off.

I agreed with Haymitch. Even after all that had happened here, everything that had been caused, everything that had been destroyed, I still considered this place my home.

I lifted my body gingerly and kept my head down as I shuffled out of the carriage and onto the platform.

When I raised my head to take in my surroundings, one thing filled my vision and I couldn't breathe.

I pinched myself numbly; sure I wasn't seeing things properly.

A squeak escaped my throat and the golden head of hair rose to look at me. Worn, but alive.

I rushed forward, gasping for breath like a fish out of water, my lungs screaming in protest.

"PRIM! PRIM!" I scream out ecstatically, slamming into her outstretched arms and clinging onto her for dear life.

"Shh, shh, Katniss, it's okay, we're okay, it's gonna be alright," she soothed, running her hand calmingly over my hair.

"H-h-how?" I managed to gasp out as I convulsed with the effort of exerting so many tears and displaying so much emotion.

"I escaped. When the bomb went off, I had just moved over to an area where I was sheltered. I was badly burnt and injured, but I managed to escape to some near-by bush land and treated myself with some of mother's herb remedies.

I'd been living there for a while, almost fully recovered. Then, a few days ago, Gale was hunting in the bush area I happened to be in and he found me and brought me back here." I could hear the smile in her voice as she recounted the tale.

For the first time, I realised that there was another presence with us, and I raised my head to see Gale, my best friend and confident standing there, a look of satisfaction on his face.

He opened his arms and I withdrew from Prim and embraced Gale, an embrace with no resistance, like we had been able to before I thought his bomb had killed Prim, like before this whole event had happened and we were just a boy and a girl hunting together in a forest.

He hugged me tightly and stepped back to reveal a third person I had failed to notice.

"Peeta," I whispered, smiling through the tears cascading down my face, and melted into his arms. I felt his arms encircle me and I felt a huge sense of relief rush over me as I realised how lucky I was, not to have him permanently damaged by the Capital.

Right then, even though both Gale and Peeta were here, and now that Prim was alive, neither of them had anything against them, I knew who my choice was.

…

**Review for the next chapter! **

**-The Cookie Monster!**


	2. Chapter 2

The four of us ended up all moving into my house in the Victor's village. I think we were all too marred to bear to be alone; or maybe I was too scarred and the others didn't want to hurt my pride and put up the façade that made me think they were too.

Gale and I had gone into the forest a few times hunting, and while we were out, Peeta would show Prim how to bake and paint.

Gale and I began to get closer again, and I would catch him looking at me the way he would before.

And after a while, he began to catch me giving him the same looks.

At first I was plagued by this.

What of Peeta?

But one day when Gale and I had just gotten back from hunting, something happened that eased my conscience.

Gale and I were covered in leaves from rolling down a hill and we were laughing boisterously as we reached the door.

Gale moved in front of me, opened the door and bowed, motioning for me to enter, trying to keep a straight face. I couldn't keep the laughter from my voice and it affected Gale, causing him to chuckle too.

I spun on my heel to close the door behind me after Gale had entered and found my face about one centimetre from his chest.

Gale had grown a lot since everything that had occurred and, where we used to be around the same height; now, the top of my head just reached the top of Gale's shoulders.

I tilted my head up to look at Gale and was struck by the serious look on his face.

His eyes scanned my face, searching for something.  
I felt my heart speed up, racing faster in my chest and a slight blush crept onto my cheeks.  
I was about to look away in embarrassment when Gale leaned down and gently pressed his lips to my forehead.

He stepped back and smiled at me, walking away to his room to give me space.

I finally gained control of my limbs again and spun around to chase after him; but when I turned, I saw the one person behind me who I would wish to never witness that.

Peeta.

I felt a wave of despair race over me. I couldn't go through this again.

Peeta laughed good naturedly and gave me a hug before motioning in the direction of Gale's room and winking before walking off seemingly unaffected.

I stared after him for a few seconds, wondering what the heck was going on.

Then he walked in my line of sight through a window and I saw Peeta bend over beside Prim who was planting flowers in the garden.

Suddenly it all made sense.

Peeta volunteering to stay and mind Prim while Gale and I went off hunting.  
Peeta not saying anything about Gale and us going off to hunt by ourselves.  
Peeta not saying anything about us going off together period.  
Peeta teaching Prim to cook and decorate.  
Peeta teaching Prim to paint and camouflage.

It all smacked me in the face in one big boom.

Prim wasn't a little girl anymore, she had just turned 15, and I couldn't imagine anyone better or more suited to be with Prim and look after her than Peeta.

It was sad to see her so grown up, but much better than seeing her in the war, and I knew Peeta would take care of her.

"And who's going to look after you?" I spun around and once again marvelled at Haymitch's ability to read my mind.

I tilted my head to the side as if I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but Haymitch just snorted and slapped me on the back.  
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, go after him."

I gave up the pretence and rolled my eyes smiling, before heading off in the direction of Gale's room. He needed to know I'd made my choice; he needed to know the choice was him.

…

**Let me know what you think, please review **

**-The Cookie Monster.**


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